“National Treasure” may be getting the Disney Plus treatment.
“National Treasure” producer Jerry Bruckheimer told Collider in a recent interview that a series based around the title is in the works at Disney Plus.
Bruckheimer told Collider:
“We’re certainly working on one (“National Treasure”) for streaming and we’re working on one for the big screen. Hopefully, they’ll both come together and we’ll bring you another “National Treasure,” but they’re both very active. ... The one for Disney+ is a much younger cast. It’s the same concept but a young cast. The one for theatrical would be the same cast.”
Bruckheimer said a Disney Plus series about “National Treasure” is further along in its development compared to “National Treasure 3,” which is reportedly in the works.
“The film version is being written right now. The television version is in process. We have a pilot script done and an outline of the future episodes.”
In January, multiple reports suggested that a third “National Treasure” film is in the works. Chris Bremner — writer for “Bad Boys for Life” — is reportedly working on “National Treasure 3” for Disney.
“National Treasure” earned $347 million in 2004. The sequel, “National Treasure: Book of Secrets,” secured $457 million in 2007.
Jon Turteltaub, who directed the “National Treasure” films, told Collider in 2108 that “National Treasure 3” got pushed back because of other projects.
“When ‘National Treasure’ first got made, there was a lot more money to go around. Everybody got paid nicely. The problem with getting the third one made isn’t the people who are getting paid saying, ‘I’m not doing it unless you pay me a lot!’ It’s really that Disney feels they have other films they want to make that they think will make them more money. I think they’re wrong. I think they’re right about the movies they’re making; they’re obviously doing a really good job at making great films. I just think this would be one of them, and they don’t quite realize how much the internet is begging for a third ‘National Treasure.’”
He added, “The script was close, but not so great that the studio couldn’t say yes,” he said, adding that it was “good enough” for the studio to approve it. Still, they were never given the green light.
Disney Plus recently added the original “National Treasure” to its library of content. The sequel was already on the platform, but the original was available only on Netflix.